The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a container for a medical device and in particular to a container that maintains a hand-held glucose meter at a desired temperature operating range during storage and transport.
Blood glucose measurements are vital for a wide range of medical purposes. Traditionally, glucose meters have been used in fixed facilities having controlled environmental conditions, such as at a hospital or a doctor's office for example. Increasingly, handheld glucose meters are being used outside of the hospital in ambulatory environments. This provides advantages in obtaining measurement from a patient, allowing for a faster response by medical personnel.
The use of a glucose meter by ambulance or other medical responders exposes the meter to colder temperatures, especially in northern climates. Typically, a hand glucose meter is expected to operate in the range of 15° C.-40° C. Unfortunately, the average temperature in a northern climate, such as Massachusetts for example, may have an average temperature of about 5° C. between the months of September-March. The outdoor storage and operation of the glucose meter sometimes results in the temperature of the glucose meter dropping below the desired operating range of the sensors within the meter. In order to prevent inaccuracies, producers of glucose meters have included temperature sensors that give an error message and disable the meter when temperature sensor detects a temperature that is lower then the desired operating range. During transit in an ambulance from the hospital to the patient's location, the temperature of the glucose meter may drop rendering it inoperable at the patient's location.
Accordingly, while existing glucose meter containers are suitable for their intended purposes the need for improvement remains, particularly in providing a container for glucose meters that maintains the glucose meter at a desired operating range during cold weather.